Wales U20s could hardly have made a better start to the Six Nations Summer series, running in seven tries as they thumped Scotland 45-15 out in Treviso. It was a dominant display and a fine all-round team performance. But which youngsters really stood out? Rugby correspondent Simon Thomas hands out the plaudits.
Monumental Mason
There’s never been any doubting the potential of Mason Grady. At 6ft 5ins and 17st 4lbs, he is built for success, with the raw attributes to make a real mark in the centre. He also has the sporting pedigree. His mother Julie played basketball for Rhondda Rebels and competed at the Commonwealth Games, while his elder brother Cory Allen has won six Wales caps in the threequarters.
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Mason first represented the U20s aged just 17 and then immediately caught the eye when he took his bow for Cardiff Blues. The issue has been getting him out on the field, among injury setbacks. But now he is fit and firing and we are starting to see that huge potential being fulfilled.
He is such a physical specimen and the Scots simply couldn’t handle him. Two moments really stood out. One was when he unceremoniously manhandled an opponent into touch in rag doll fashion and another was when he produced a monumental carry in the build-up to winger Oli Andrew’s second try. There were young men in blue hanging on to him for dear life as he bulldozed his way through in the shadow of the posts. It was some sight.
But it’s not just brute force from the 20-year-old. He’s also got good hands, picks some great lines and is strong in the air, utilising that height of his. Together with skipper Joe Hawkins, he forged a hugely effective centre pairing out in the heat of Treviso. Hawkins can play it all ways, adding his own power when required, while also complimenting Grady with some astute touches of skill, be it with his passing or the pinpoint cross kick that set up the opening try for Andrew.
Don’t rule out this pairing being reunited in the senior Wales team one day.
Super sub scrum-half
It was really unfortunate for Che Hope - the one debutant in the Welsh starting line-up - that he had to leave the field injured after just 12 minutes. But that did open the way for fellow Dragons scrum-half Morgan Lloyd to produce a top quality display off the bench. He is such a livewire and was a real catalyst of Wales’ attacking game with the tempo he brings both in terms of his service and his sniping.
Lloyd, who has been involved with Ebbw Vale, capped an excellent day’s work with a well deserved try just past the hour mark, as he threw a big dummy at a close range ruck and darted over the whitewash. You can’t afford to take your eyes off this lad.
Yet another No 7
We’ve had opensides coming out of our ears for ages now and here’s another one to add to the list in Ethan Fackrell. Wales dominated the breakdown against the Scots and much of that was down to the tigerish efforts of their No 7 over the ball. He’s in so quick and he gets in such a strong position that he’s virtually impossible to move.
He also offers classic openside support in the loose as demonstrated by the way he popped up on the shoulder of fellow flanker Ryan Goodman to take a scoring pass midway the first half. Then there’s his tackle count and the number of rucks he hits. He just never stops.
He is joining RGC for next season, having previously been there on loan from Cardiff, and will be a valuable acquisition for the Colwyn Bay side. The kid is a real terrier.
Boilerhouse boys
You may well have seen a sneak preview of the Wales second row pairing at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia in this resounding victory over the Scots. There had been much anticipation over Exeter duo Christ Tshiunza and Dafydd Jenkins packing down together in the boilerhouse and they didn’t disappoint. They are just such an athletic combination, helping to deliver a stream of good ball in the lineout, while they are also really effective round the park, both with ball in hand and in defence. They are the future.
Winging away
When the sanding down is done, you then need someone to provide the finishing gloss and that was delivered in style by wingers Oli Andrew and Harri Houston. They racked up three tries between them and they were well taken.
Andrew still had a fair bit of work to do when he pocketed Joe Hawkins’ cross kick on two minutes, but he did it with aplomb, fending off his opposite number Ryan Daley and spinning over in the corner. Then Ospreys speedster Houston showed his predatory nature as he stepped back inside two defenders to claim the bonus point score just before the break. Dragons youngster Andrew proceeded to complete his brace on the resumption, holding his width to take a floated pass from fly-half Dan Edwards and scoot over.
The two wingers were also threatening in broken play, with Houston particularly dangerous with his ability to pick his way through crowded traffic. They look a very useful pairing.
As for Wales, they now move on to their second Pool B match against Georgia at the same Treviso venue next Thursday. They will do so in good heart.
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